Linear vibration motor

Abstract

A linear vibration motor has a cover body made from a magnetic material having a planar inner surface (supporting face); a movable element that comprises a magnet and a weight, and that vibrates in the axial direction along the inner surface; an elastic member elastically repelling the vibration of the movable element; and a coil, secured in relation to the cover body, and wherein a winding part that is perpendicular, in respect to the axial direction, to a gap between the movable element and the cover body, where supporting portions for supporting the movable element through the elastic member are provided on both axial-direction end portions on the cover body.

1 . A linear vibration motor comprising:
 a cover unit that has a flat inner surface;   a movable element comprising a magnet and a weight, for vibrating in the axial direction along the inner surface;   an elastic member elastically repelling the vibration of the movable element; and   a coil secured to the cover unit, and wherein a coil part that is perpendicular to the axial direction is disposed in a space between the movable element and the cover unit, wherein:   a supporting portion for supporting the movable element is provided in the cover unit, at both end portions in the axial direction, with elastic members there between.   
     
     
         2 . The linear vibration motor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 an inner surface of the cover unit is a supporting face of a magnetic material wherein the movable element is supported at a plurality of locations, either directly or through contact pieces   
     
     
         3 . The linear vibration motor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the magnet forms a magnetic flux that passes through the coil part of the coil in the space between itself and the cover unit, and magnetically attracts the movable element toward the supporting surface side.   
     
     
         4 . The linear vibration motor as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the contact is a rolling element, and makes either point contact or line contact on the cover unit side and the movable element side.   
     
     
         5 . The linear vibration motor as set forth in any one of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the magnet is a pair of magnet pieces having directions of magnetization that are mutually opposing, in a direction that is perpendicular to the supporting surface; and   the coil is wound in a flat shape in a gap between the magnet and the cover unit.   
     
     
         6 . The linear vibration motor as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cover unit comprises an attaching portion for attaching to a machine body frame of the mobile electronic device in which it is installed.   
     
     
         7 . A mobile electronic device comprising a linear vibration motor as set forth in  claim 1 , comprising a machine body frame that has an attaching portion to which the cover unit attaches. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile electronic device as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein:
 the attaching portion serves as a side frame for the linear vibration motor.